Mechanical pencil having different leads selectable from magazines therein



Aug, 29C 1950 Bour-MER MECHANICAL PENCIL HAVING DIFFERENT LEADS sELECIABLE FROM MAGAZINES THEREIN l `Vi5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 20, 1948 lllllllllllllllllll l1 l d Inventor Zozzwozz/zze/f Attorneys L. ABom-HER MECHANICAL PENCIL HAVING DIFFERENT LEADS Aug. 29, 195o 2,520,796'

SELECTABLE FROM MAGAZINES THEREIN 3 sheets-sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1948 l Inventor Attorney,l

w @A .6 4.@ 5 5 25 2 9 om 5;. M52 3 0 l 6 108 Z4 Z 4^ i. ,Aw 4 54 i 2 jww QM E* \w\\\\\\\\\\\\\ 656 ug. 29, 1950 l.. Boul-HER MECHANICAL PEN HAVING DIFFERENT LEADS CTABLE 1N SELE M MAGAZINES THERE Filed May 20. 1948 3 Sheets-'Sheet 5 jazalsozz/zzlf Patented Aug. 29, 1950 Mnciieiiiesi. Perlen, iiiiviNc' nIErwinENTI iis-AnsseLnoienLn FROM MAGAzINEs;

Louis Bouhier, Paris. FranceL Application May 20,- 194.8; SerialNo; 285223/ lii-ranceelviay 28, 1947 M Ciair'ns. (Cl. 12B-114.3)

'lfhei present ,inventionrelates. to ameohanical pencliwhereinthelead is:- progressively advanced by pressure on a spring-recoil, plunger-like. head; and@ whereirnleadsgoi. any oney of a, number of colours or 'qualitiesimay beautomatically selected.

Amamobiect of: tne'invention', in fact, resides ingtheprovisioniof-.a pencil-of the plunger type no tedfabevefhaying means for selectively feeding leadszof anygone-of amumber of colours or qua itiess.

knotherimportant Qbiectfis to provide.y a mechanical'. pencil having; iniprovedV means for ad- Vancing a lead into Writing position.

Still :ai-I1m711e1-imp@riant,object resides in the provision of?y a pencil having improved means for gripping a: lead inlwriting.; position.

And-yet anotnerrobjeet is to provide. a pencil as seteiorth abovefhavinggmeans guardingagainst inadvertent. releasingy of'k all the leads contained therein.,

Qn; as ivvillfl be appreciated; Vfrom the foregoing, itisthe. general-object of the invention tol provide a, mechanical pencil of. an all-round im,- proyed:charactenandshaying anzexceedingly simple. fpresserelease type. `of operation.

Op, as Will-.be equal-1y.. wellV appreciated, further im-pontantl Ubetspf-my invention areto provide improyedameans-for slelecting'any one of a nu1nher: of. types of leads, improved means. for advancingleadeiandximproved means for gripping parent-.cr bef-,uriner minted-@m1111116 descrip? a As an example, and for purposes of illustration onlpreferred. embodiments of my invention, indicating alternative formsV of construction, are snownin tpe-.annexed dra-,Wings wherein:

Figure 1 show-sa-long-itudinal view, partly in sectionzofvpneforrn cpiemy invention having con ventiona-l' leadfalvancing means;

Heute; A2; snows ,a longitudinal mid-sectional view..of. the pencil ot Fig; 1, withtlie i iechanism inlreleased, lead-gripping position;

ligpre- 34 shows a -vlew similar to Fig. 2l only with tliemeclianism in advanced position;

Eiguruleelsliowsa-view similar toFig. 3 except tliiat the penolliasbeen inverted prior to advennment of. themechanism;

y151igaine-:15-vsnlfiovvsari-opened-out, perspective View o fisoineofthe." parts of the pencil of Fig. l and indicatesthecpfoperation thereof Figure; 6.- shows` a detail Vlongitudinal section through tile;-v bottom. portioni ofi the:letti1- adi/ano? ing member on-tubefbrokeniaway frrornfliig..

:eigure 7- shows:v ai detail. longitudinal sec mit; through the: leadi-.grnpng5tir ot the.v pencil o if Fig. 1:;

Figure 8f shows @i 'lQrggiblldnalzviewpartly. in;` section; Of.; apeneil of. alternat onstrutign having; impnoyd; lead-advancin cans;

signe ,e shows;an.enlareflsmdssecnal ci.:tile-bottom:portionsot the-.pencilof Eig. 8,

Figure-1o shows aiseticnialnneathe line tlm-.lilofliig. 9;

leisure 1i. shews-a seeticnalor-lathe line f lil-:tl oi Eig. 9andt Figure 12 Showsia .seationiaiongi the 1in-e lgz-c-l-Zn orina 9..v

nerernne; te;-

drafwlnes. Vvv-,liereir-1i the: ses reference chareptersidenoie corresponding; parte .fthroushont,.themenienismi ,ofthe-pencil@ Seen to be anche@ ma casineiQ-off am Su'talqle: shape and dimension ,Inlthefuneer normen f1 the casing.; nel ,denis/ed: le@vifselect,ine. means from` which; the leads will he' guided;

45 magazine. or l ce Z0 E cnof these members en ee in WhiGh-,Qf..,.fe-L

f of spurs 24 spaced evenly aroun egchgngllcf. the, cartridge. coi-.operiatemith l udinal, slots 50 2.5endf-26-i1ih'9peeen ofi-fieeneiid-meefazie@ and ieee is heleil the' ,ther-eme esame tela-tine .mieten Wenvessembl 26 in the cylindrical portion 23 of the magazine receive spurs 24 near their open, outer ends. As a result of this arrangement, the cap will engage the cartridge more rmly and will carry the latter therewith when rotated. Such rotation, as the lower spurs 24 slip at regular intervals into and out of engagement with slots 26, will bring one or other of the cartridge compartments into position registering with the lead-releasing means described below. Therefore, any indicating means such as 36 on the top or sides of cap i9 will show which colour or quality of lead is in position for use. Figure shows that, if desired, the slots 25 and 26 may be notched at 32, at appropriate locations for determining the position at which the spurs will register properly.

Since the pencil is adapted to operate by pressure on cap I9, the latter will project from the top of casing C a sulcient distance to allow adequate displacement of the moving parts of the mechanism. Once the cap has been rotated so that the desired type of lead is in position for use, it is required that all further control of the lead be exercised by simply pressing the ca-p inward and releasing it to spring outward.

The lead-releasing means so operated is disposed inthe upper end of the magazine and consists of a iixed gate and a movable or rotatable gate 36. The former of these is seen to consist of a nat circular plate from which one radial segment, of dimensions the same as those of a single cartridge compartment, has been removed. Lugs or spurs 38 project from the circumference of the plate and are engageable in the bottom of slots 26 (under the open end of the cartridge) to hold gate 35 in xed position. Just below the bottom of slotsV 26 the cylindrical magazine 20 is stepped inwardly, and the flanged upper end 39 of the movable gate rests on the shoulder 43 so formed. VFor a considerable distance below this point magazine 20 extends longitudinally of casing C and the upper portion'of the former rotatably carries the body of the movable gate. This body is cylindrical in outline and has a radial segment longitudinally removed therefrom on the side normally opposite the opening in gate 35. However, upon the cap being displaced downwardly, .suitable means cause the movable gate to swing into a position registering with t'ne xed gate so as to allow the leads in the selected cartridge compartment to fall into the magazine.

Preferred means forcausing such displacement of gate 36 (best shown in Figs. 2 and 5) consist of a helicoidal groove 4| formed in the outer surface of the gate and a pin 42 projecting iixedly in from casing VC (through vertical slot 43 in the magazine) in engagement with the groove. When cap I9, and hence the cartridge and magazine, is Ipressed downward, the pin moves upwards relative to downwardly moving gate 36 and causes rotation of the latter. This brings the gates into registering position with one lead compartment and permits the leads to fall into the magazine (Fig. 3). As the cap recoils upward, the mechanism returns to the position of Figs. 1 and 2.

The foregoing describes the means for selectively releasing any one of a number of colours or qualities of leads into the magazine. Obviously the embodiment of such means herein shown and described could -be widely varied without departing from the scope of the invention, which seeks to provide a mechanism operated by simply rotating the cap for selection purposes and pressing same for releasing purposes. The cartridge l5 could oviously be inverted if it is desired that no leads whatever be released therefrom in operation, and it is only a minor alteration to provide two or more such cartridges in longitudinal series, the pencil casing being lengthened accordingly and only the lower cartridge being utilized.

The mechanism for positively advancing the leads from the magazine is disposed at the lower end of the latter` and co-operates with the leadgripping tip of the pencil. Thus the magazine is reduced to a substantially smaller outside-diameter near the bottom thereof and projects downward in an elongated, hollow tube 45. The outer surface of the magazine is stepped sharply inward in two successive steps to meet the said tube, and exterior shoulders 46 and 4l are accordingly formed. Inside the magazine, in order to facilitate downward feeding of leads, the wall curves smoothly in towards the bore of tube 45.

At a distance below shoulder 41 (Fig. 2) approximately equal to the stroke of ca-p I9 an exterior ange 48 is formed on tube 45. Also at this pointl the inner wall of casing C slopes inwardly at 49 and is shaped with a depressed, inwardly-extending shoulder 50 upon which rests the outwardly-flared upper extremity 5| of a sleeve 52. This sleeve spacedly surrounds the lower portion of tube 45 and extends down the inside of casing C.

The lower portion of tube 45 is slotted (Fig.

V6) longitudinally as at 53 to form tweezers or claws of three or more sections. These tweezer sections tend to spring outwardly but, when the mechanism is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are squeezed together by sleeve 52 which is stepped inwardly at this point and has an extremity 54 of reduced diameter. Another sleeve 55, having a diameter equal to that of the larger portion of the sleeve 52, is threaded to the extremity of the latter and extends down towards the tip of the pencil. Here casing C tapers lnwardly and nally terminates in a rim 56 against which an outwardly-projecting shoulder 5l on sleeve is adapted to abut. The lower portion of this second sleeve has an exterior flush with casing C and tapers down similarly towards tip 58. The interior diameter of the sleeve remains constant down to an inwardly-stepped shoulder 59 formed therein below the end of the casing. Below this, sleeve 55 continues down to tip 58 where it is formed with an outwardly ared or inside beveled extremity 60 for reasons set forth below.

The tip or lead-gripping member of the pencil is best shown in Figure 7. It has a flanged upper rim 6| sitting on an elongated tubular body 62 with a tip proper 58. The latter has a bevelled upper surface corresponding to the lower end of sleeve 55 and tapers down to a substantially small outside diameter. The lower portion of tube 62, together with the tip proper, is slotted longitudinally to form tweezers or claws as in the case of the tube 45. This set of claws also tend to spring outwardly and are normally squeezed tightly only by means pressing together the co-operative bevelled surfaces referred to above. Such means preferably consist of a spring 63 compressed between the rim 6| of the tip member and shoulder 59 of sleeve 55. When the claws are so squeezed (Fig. 1 and 2), the space therebetween is very limited and no lead will fall by When pressure is released and the mechanism is allowed to recoil, the tube 1I moves ilrst to release the claws 'i9 which then grip the lead firmly. As the entire mechanism recoils further, the end of the lead so gripped projects beyond the Withdrawing tip-claws 58 until these are closed in tightly, gripping position by contact with the inner bevelled edge 60 at the bottom of sleeve 55. Ifthe lead need be advanced further, it is only necessary to repeat the operation described.

In order to return all leads to their cartridge compartment,` the pencil is inverted and operated as in the previous constructional form, ball 68 again falling out of its obstructing position. The tip member is thereby displaced far enough out of the pencil so that its claws 58 open and release the lead.

`Itwill be apparent from the foregoing that the lead-advancing and lead-gripping mechanisms, orthe two alternative combinations thereof herein shown and described, may be used in conjunction with any lead-supplying means to comprise a completely operable automatic pencil. It is equally true that the selective lead-supplying means disclosed herein may be profitably employed with any lead propelling mechanism of the press-release type. The use of successively stepped shoulders on the bottom of the lead magazine in conjunction with an obstruction 68 is also felt to be an advance in the art in that it permits the press-release system to perform a diilerent function when the pencil is inverted than that carried out normally.

It may be noted that in the second form of construction the shoulder 48 on tube 45 has been replaced by a socket lil, and that a second tube 'H replaces the extension used n the rst form. This alteration is only for the purpose of fabrication since it is easier to make the two parts rather than to form them integrally. Similar alterations might be carried out in any of the individual parts or mechanisms embodied herein, and it will therefore be understood that I do not limit myself to what is shown or described, but that various changes might be made in the size, shape and arrangement or" all members, or combinations thereof, without departing from the spirit of the invention if within the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a mechanical pencil of the type wherein a lead is advanced to writing position by pressing and releasing a spring-recoil mechanism of limited longitudinal movement, and wherein a lead magazine in said mechanism is adapted to feed the leads so advanced; the combination therewith of means for selectively releasing into the magazine leads of any one of a plurality of qualities, said means comprising an elongated hollow cartridge frictionally engaging the magazine at one end so as to move longitudinally therewith and rotatably with respect thereto, partitions arranged in said cartridge to deilne a plurality of longitudinal lead-storing compartments, the cartridge open at the end adjacent the magazine, and iixed and rotatable gate means disposed transverse the open cartridge end having apertures therethrough adapted to be brought into registration with each other and with a single cartridge compartment when said mechanism is longitudinally displaced by pressure; whereby the leads of any predetermined cartridge compartment may be released into said magazine.

2. In a mechanical pencil Vcombination as claimed in claim 1. the closed end of said cartridge having a cap projecting from the non-writing end of the pencil, and means on said cap indicating the particular quality of lead in any cartridge compartment, whereby the pre-selection of the compartment to be positioned for registration with said gate means is facilitated.

3. In a mechanical pencil combination as claimed in claim 1, said gate means comprising: a fixed gate disposed transverse the magazine adjacent the open cartridge end having an aperture therethrough registrable with any one of the said compartments, a second gate having an aperture therethrough of similar cross-section to the iirst aperture but normally held out of communication therewith, said second gate rotatably and nonslidably held in said magazine adjacent the ilrst gate, and means in said pencil for moving said second gate rotatably to bring said apertures into registration when the spring-recoil mechanism is longitudinally displaced by pressure.

4. In a mechanical pencil combination as claimed in claim 3, said means for moving the second gate comprising: a longitudinally-extending shell-like apron on the second gate having a helicoidal groove formed thereon, and a projecting pin rigidly ilxed in the pencil in engagement with said groove.

5. In a mechanical pencil combination as claimed in claim 1, said spring-recoil mechanism enclosed in an elongated, axially-bored casing tapered inward at the writing end of the pencil, the bore of said casing having an outwardly-flared bevelled surface at the tapered casing extremity, an outwardly-sprung chuck in the tapered endportion of the casing, jaws on said chuck shaped exteriorly so as to co-operate with said bevelled surface and grip a lead tightly when the chuck is urged into said casing, and spring means for urging the chuck into the casing.

6. In a mechanical pencil combination as claimed in claim 5, said spring-recoil, lead-advancing mechanism adapted to displace said chuck outward for jaw-opening purposes when displaced by pressure to the full longitudinal extent, and gravity-operated means disposed in said casing to obstruct the mechanism when the pencil is held normally and to free the mechanism when the pencil is inverted.

7. In a pencil of the type having an elongated axially-bored casing tapered inward at the writing end, and a spring-recoil lead-advancing mechanism movable longitudinally for a limited distance in said casing, and wherein a lead is advanced by alternately pressing and releasing said mechanism; said casing having an outwardlyflared, bevelled surface formed at the tapered extremity, a chuck slidable in the tapered portion of the casing having projecting, outwardlysprung jaws, means for urging said chuck inward relative to the casing, and said jaw shaped exteriorly to co-operate with said bevelled surface and grip a pencil lead tightly when the chuck is 4held inward, said spring-recoil, lead-advancing mechanism adapted to displace said chuck outward for jaw-opening purposes when displaced by pressure to the full longitudinal extent, and gravity-operated means disposed in said casing to obstruct lthe mechanism when the pencil is held normally and to free the mechanism when the pencil is inverted.

8. In a pencil as claimed in claim 7, a leadfeeding magazine in said spring-recoil lead-advancing mechanism, and means for releasing into said magazine leads of any one of a plurality of qualities, said means comprising an elongated holloiw cartridge frictionally engaging the magazine at one end so as to move longitudinally therewith and rotatably with respect thereto, partitions arranged in said cartridge to define a plurality of longitudinal lead-storing -compartments, the cartridge open at the end adjacent the magazine, and fixed and rotatable gate means disposed transverse the open cartridge end having apertures therethrough adapted to be brought into registration with each other and with a single cartridge compartment when said mechanism is longitudinally displaced by pressure; whereby the leads of any predetermined cartridge compartment may be released into said magazine.

9. In a pencil as claimed in claim 8, said spring-recoil mechanism including a feed tube formed at the end of said magazine opposite to the cartridge and adapted to permit passage of f a single lead, a lchuck having outwardly-sprung jaws formed at the free end oi said tube, means in the `casing for compressing the jaws on said feed-tube chuck to grip a lead when the mechanism is released whereby a lead Will be driven forward for at least a portion of the stroke of the mechanism when pressed, the casing shaped to release the feed-tube chuck jaws after a portion of the pressure stroke, and spring means urging recoil of lead-advancing mechanism.

10. In a pencil as claimed in claim 9, a shoulder formed on a portion of the lead-advancing mechanism, and said gravity-operated means comprising an obstruction movable in the casing adapted to lie underneath said shoulder and limit movement of the mechanism fwhen the pencil is held normally and to fall out from under the shoulder when the pencil is inverted, whereby when in inverted position the lead-advancing mechanism may be pressed to the full extent of its longitudinal movement in order that the jaws of both said chucks will open and that the leads will be free to return to their cartridge compartment.

l1, In a pencil of the type having an elongated axially-bored casing tapered towards the writing end, and a spring-recoil lead-advancing mechanism movable longitudinally .rwithin defined limits in said casing, and wherein a lead is advanced by alternately pressing and releasing mechanism lwhen the pencil is held normally and to free the mechanims when the pencil is inverted.

13. In a pencil as claimed in claim l2, said spring-recoil means including a lead-feeding magazine, a feed-tube extending towards the :writing end from said magazine having longitudinal slots therethrough, said feed-tube connected to said chuck at the inner end of the latter and adapted to pass .a single lead thereto, inwardly-sprung lead-gripping jaws projecting rigidly from the casing through said lfeed-tube slots, and the feed-tube walls at the inner ends of said slots adapted to abut said jaws to urge the latter apart when the mechanism is some- @what advanced longitudinally by pressure; whereby when the mechanism is advanced, the inwardly-sprung jaws are opened to permit passage of lead down to the protruding chuck, and when the mechanism is released to recoil, said inwardly-sprung jaws prevent retreat of the lead and cause the latter to protrude from and vbe gripped by the 'withdrawn chuck.

14. In a .pencil of the type having an elongated axially-bored casing tapered towards the writing end, and a spring-recoil lead-advancing mechanism movable longitudinally within dened limits in said casing, and wherein .a lead is advanced by alternately pressing and releasing said mechanism; a chuck slidable in the casing having outwardly-sprung jaws projecting from the tapered end thereof, shoulder projections on the chuck sections normally disposed inside the casing bore so as to urge said jaws into leadgripping proximity, and spring means urging said chuck inward so as to maintain the said projections inside the casing, said spring-recoil, lead-.advancing mechanism adapted to displace said chuck outward for jaw-opening purposes when displaced by said pressure to the full longitudinal extent, the gravity-operated means disposed in said casing to obstruct the mechanism when the pencil is held normally and to free the mechanism when the pencil is inverted, said spring-recoil mechanism including means connected to said chuck for guiding a lead to the writing end of the pencil, and means for tightly gripping a lead projecting in from the casing wall and adapted to be opened by advance of said guiding means; whereby upon longitudinal advancement of the mechanism by pressure, lead is permitted to pass to the protruding chuck, whilst upon release and recoil of the mechanism, said gripping means prevents retreat of the lead and causes saine to project beyond the withdrawn chuck.

LOUIS BOUHIER.

REFERENCES CITED Name Date Winter Apr. 27. 1937 Number 

